Electrical weft detector controlled by box motion



Nov. 1, 1927.

W. H. WAKEFIELD lE}I.|EC'1R1'.CAI.| WEFT DETECTOR CONTROLLED BY BOX MOTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4Filed. Jan. 2, 1925 Nov. 1, 1927.V 1,647,720 w. H. WAM-:FIELD y DETECTOR CONTROLLED BY BOX MOTION ELECTRICAL WEFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jah. 2, 1925 r///////////////////A l Mmmm Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON 8C- KNOVLES LOOM W'ORKS, OF VVGROES MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICAL VVEFT DETECTOR MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF Application filed January 2, 1925. Serial No. 27.

This invention relates to improvements in weft detectors for box looms employing a plurality ot shuttles and it is the 'general o`b]ect oit' the invention to provide ali-elec 'il trical detector employing two or more electrical circuits each of which is arranged to* be closed by a contact member carried by the shuttle.

lt is a turt-her object of the invention to etector with a pluralil provide an electrical ity of contacts to enter the shuttle and de` tect for the absence of yarn` one of said detec'tors being arranged to give an indication when a relatively large amount of coarse l yarn is present andE anotherroi2 the. detectors y giving an indication when a lesser amount of line yarn is present, the detector for coarse yarn being automatically disconnected when a shuttle carrying line yarn is suiliciently depleted to uncover that portion of the shuttle contact therein opposite the detector l'or coarse yarn. k

The invention is applicable to that type oiE loom wherein one or more shuttles carry if very line yarn and wherein other shuttles carry relatively coarse yarn. In such looms a setting which would be proper for coarse yarn would be improper for the line yarn, and vice versa.

Vith these and other objectsA in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying'drawings, wherein I have shown a convenient embodiment ol my invention,

`F 1 is an end elevation ot a portion of a loom having my invention applied thereto, 40 the detector being shown in conjunction with a part of the usual type of multi-color replenishing mechanism,

F 2 is an enlarged line 2 2 of Fig. 4,

F ig. 3 is a side elevation ot the contact members as seen from the interior of the loom,

F ig. 4- is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow L1-, Fig. 3, c

F ig.- 5 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section on line 5 5 or" Fig. 2 showing the internal construction of the contact member which has electrical contact with some portion ot the Shuttle,

horizontalsection on F G is an enlargedl vertical section on fl:

line 6 6 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on line of Fig. 3, Y

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showingl the lay-out of the electrical circuits,

F is an enlarged vertical line 9 9 of F 4, and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail section on line 10 1O otFig. 4f.

ln carrying out my invention I prefersection on ably associate the same with that type of replenishing mechanism shown inl Patent No, 1,030,748. rlhe mechanism for replenishin2,` the bobbin comprises a frame 10 mounted conveniently upon loom side 11 and has a colorl slide 12 mounted for angular and longitudinal movement, the longitudinal movement being imparted by mechanism connect ed with the boxes or pattern mechanism and the angular movement being imparted by means of a reciprocating rod 13. Said rod has pivoted on the upper endthereot a floating lever 14 one end of which i vtends into a slot 15 formed in an upstanding horn 16 of a detector traine 17. The Votherend of said lever is connected by mechanism not shown to the color slide 12 to cause the same to receive an annular movement at indication fof weft exhaustion for the purpose ot' advancing a bobbin of the proper color toward transfer position.

A controller pin 18 passes through the horn 16 and normally lies in front of the slot 15 to permit the vlever 14 to descend without interruption. The controller is pivoted at the forward end thereof as at 20 to the upper end of 'a pivotally mounted arm 21 which is fulcrumed on a stud 22. A col- .lar 23 adjustably set on the controller 18 receives-the forward thrust of a compression spring 2li interposed between said collar andthe horn 16 and tending to hold said controller pin out of the slot 15. A screw 25'secured adjustably inl arm 26 depending from the feeler stand 17 engages the lower end 27 of arm 21 to limit forward movement of the controller pin and armA 21. vTheinatterythus far described may be. ofthe usual. construction and forms nopart of my pres'Y ent invention.

In carrying out my invention I provide armature 3VO for the ar-m21 and mount an electro-magnet 31 on the detector framel,

the magnet being so placed as to attract the armature and move the controller pin 18 under the lever 1a against the action of spring 24. The electro-magnet is arranged to be in a plurality ot circuits only one et which is closed at a time and said circuits are selected by mechanism associated with the color slide and are closed by contacts extending into the active shuttle to cooperate with a contacting member therein.

'By re'lerring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that l have extended the color slide 12 and have provided the same with a pair ot collars 32 and 337 respectively, 'fastened to the slide to position a circuit making unit Said unit is loosely mounted on the color slide between the collars and has upstanding there-trom a linger 35 from which projects a rod 36 extending substantially parallel to the color slide 12 and passing through the projection 3T rising 'from the magazine trame 10. Said pin 36 is rigid with respect to the circuit making unit and prevents the latter trom oscillating when the color slide receives its angular movement during the Operation ot he replenishing mechanism. The body of the unit is ot' insulating material and has secured thereto contact bars 33 and 39, respectively7 said bars being secured to the unit and moving therewith longitudinally. An auxiliary stand 4.0 secured to the trame 10 is provided with an insulating block l1 which supports contact brushes l2 and a3., respectively, which cooperate with the contact bars.

Adjustably secured to the circuit making unit 3a are open rings all, 4&5, 1 -6, and il?, respectively, said rings being substantially as shown in l? ig. 'T and each comprising a pair of spaced heads a8 and 49, respectively, the outer surfaces of which are substantially the same distance troni the axis oit the unit 3st and extend beyond the intervening lower contact portions 50. rl`he distance between the heads i3 and i9 is greater than the distance between the bars 38 and 39 so that but one head ot each ring can be connected to a bar. its shown in F 3 rings le and Li6 are connected to bar 39 and rings l5 and 47 are connected to bar 36. 'lhat side ot the rings opposite the heads adapted for contact with a tixed contact 51 which may be formed o t spring material and secured to an insulating block 52 carried on a projection 53 extending laterally from the auxiliary trame 40. The contact spring 51 is in fixed position and is arranged to contact with one or another ot the rings depending upon the position ot' the color slide and as shown in Fig. 3 is positioned tor contact with ring Il?.

i'llhe device. tor closing the circuit is shown in Figs. 1 and 2l and comprises a supporting stand mounted in any convenient manner en the detector stand 1f( and having a cap61 formed oit fibre and held thereto by screws 62. Insulating bushings 63 are clamped between the stand 60 and cap 61 to atiord sliding bearings tor detector rods 6a and 65, respectively. A collar 66 is adjustably set on each rod to receive the rearward thrust ot spring 6T which acts against the bushing 63 to hold the corresponding rod normally in rear position. ln order to limit said rods screws 68 are threaded to the torward ends thereof to engage the forward bushings.

Extending laterally 't'roin said trame GO are a pair ot spaced ears 6i) and 70 through which passes a Contact rod T1 on which is mounted a collar 72. A spring T3passing between the arm 69 and c llar 72 holds the contact rod rearwardly. As shown in `Fig. 5 said contact rod has a rear contact tip 74 'termed on the end of pin 75 which extends through a sleeve 71a ot' insulating material and has threaded thereon a nut 71" to hold the shoulder 71C against the rod 71. rlhe pin 75 has a nut 75 threaded thereon and in engagement with the 'forward end ot sleeve 71a. ln this way the contact 'ist is insulated trein the support therefor.

The detector is adapted for use with bobbins having a metallic terrule 77 and provided with the usual bobbin holding springs 7S. The bobbin B is provided with an electrical connection 7 9 passing from the metallic errule 7T to one ot the rings 8O vso that when the shuttle is in forward position the l'errule is in electrical contact with the pin 75.

rllhe brushes Li2 and i3 are connected with current conducting wires 81 and 82j respectively. Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that battery P' is connect-ed as by wire 33 to one side o't' the magnet 31 and the other side et said magnet is connected as by wire 8st to the pin 75. lNire 81 is connected to detector rod 65 and wire 82 is connected to detector 64e-,

vlt will be understood that the detector contacts with the terrule nearer the tip ot the bobbin than does rod 64. Detector 65 is arranged to detect 'for coarse yarn'and detector 6l cooperates similarly with tine lvarn. 'Vhen sntiicient yarn has been drawn from the bobbin carrying coarse yarn the terrule will be uncovered to permit the detector 65 to come into electrical contact therewith at which time the following devices will be electrically connected: battery l). wire 83. electromagnet 31, wire 34s. contact bar 71, spring T3, wire lerrule 7T, detector 65, wire 31. and rings 44C and 4 6. ltis to be understood that the color slide 12 nieves the rings in timed relation with the active shuttle and the position of the rings is such that they will be connected to the proper contact bar. The contacting unit 34 will there-tore be in such a position that one or the other of the rings te or t6 tCOrrem cover that portion oit the ferrule opposite the bar 65 these tivo members w'illvcome into spending to coarse yarn) will be in contactl with spring contact 5l so that the devices previously indicated as electrically connected `will be in circuit with brush 51 and Wire 85 which is connected to battery P. This will enerUize the electro-magnet 81 to move arm 2l to give an indication of weft exhaustion y as already described.

i'v'hen a. bobbin carrying line yarn has had suiticient yarn drawn therefrom to unelectricai contact but the circuit making unit 34 will be in such longitudinal position as to interrupt the circuit previously traced, but when the line yarn is sumciently eX- hausted to ,permit Contact between detector 64 and the ferru-le 77 the following circuit will be completedgBattejy P,V Wire 83, electro-magnet Si, Wire 84, contact' rod 71,' ferrule Y?, detector 64, Wire 82,y ring 45 or'47. depending upon the position of the color slide ring'4flbeing .shown in position to close the circuit in F 8) spring Contact 5l, and Wire 85,'baclrtoe the battery P. This circuit will energize the magnet '8l to give an indication of Wett exhaustion.

Thus it Will'be seen that even 'though detector 6,5, is in electricalcentact with the i'errnle 77 the circuit will not v'be closed unless the proper shuttle is active to give the circuit making Vunit 34Ysuch a position as Will close the circuitY through Vdetectcir In order to Withdraw. the detectors at the time ot transfer, there is provided the device shown in Figs. l, 2, 4, and l0. The transiiei'rer arm 90 carries a stud 91 on the right hand end oit Which as viewed in F ig. 4 threaded an insulated bushing 92. 'At tached to each detector 64 and 65 is an angle clip 93 having a U-shaped portion 94 which cncloses the collar on the detector. As shown in Fig. 10 the clip ext-ends forwardly and has an upturned end 95 positioned vfor engagement with the insulated bushing 92.

i t the time oi transfer the stud 91 is moved forwardly in a. Well known manner and the ends 95 are engaged thereby to be drawn forwardly thus moving the detectors away from the bobbin. Slots 96 in cap 6l one of Which is shown in Fig. l0, position the clips to hold them against angular movement. Cap 6l, being of insulating material such as fibre, prevents electrical Contact between the clips.

this construction it Will be seen that the detectors 64 and 65 are at all times insulated from the supporting structure and the withdrawing means.

F rom the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an electrical detector involving` a. plurality of circuits which are closed by contact members carriedy by the shuttle and selected by mechanism `operating in timed relation With the active shuttle in such a way that although a shuttle carrying tine yarn can establish electrical contactbetween the errule thereof and one'otl thev detectors^ a circuit will not be closed unless the ycontact occurs in the proper shuttle. It will further noted 'of such a construction that they can be moved angularly with respect tothe unit .so that'said rings may be'brought into contact either with bar 38 or 39 but not in contact with both of said bars.

IIaving thusl described my invention it will be apparent that changes land modica- 'tions may be made therein by those lskill-ed in the art Without departing romthe spirit 'and scope of4 the.V invention Wish to belimited to the d-etaiis herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a loom having aV plurality ofv shuttles each of which may become active and each of which is provided With any electric circuit closing element, a member movable to assume a different positionfor each shutf tlc that `beconjies active, a plurality of electhat the open rings are and I do not l trical detectors positioned to enter the shu-t-v I tle, a dinerent 'each ditterent kind of shuttle, a'normally open vcircuit for each detector, means common to 'all the circuits to initiate a change 2. Ina looni having a plurality ofrshutf,

ties Veach ot which may become active land each of which is provided With a circuit closing element, a member movable to assume aditferent position for each shuttle that becomes active, a plurality of .detectors spaced apart in the direction-of the length of the shuttle, a different detector being provided for each dilerent kind of shuttle, an electric circuit for each detector, means common to all the circuits to initiate a change in the operation of the loom, and means moving with the member to disconnect all but one of vsaid named means.

3. In" a loom having a plurality of shuttle boxes and shuttles each of Which may be moved .to active position, an electrically operated controller device, a kplurality of electric circuits each of which may be connected to the controller device, a plurality of detectors one for each circuit to enter the shuttle, means moving in' timed relation With the shuttle boxes and dependent for its position upon which shuttle box is in active position, .said means When ymoving in timed relation With the shuttle boxes disconnecting all of said detectors from the controller device except one, and means to initiate a change in the operation of the loom When any one of said circuits is closed.

4. In a 100m having a plurality of shiftdetector being provided fori *the operation of thejloom, and means- V-m'opvmg'with vthe member to close the circuit active shuttle When CTI ing shuttle boxes and shuttles each of which may become active, each shuttle being provided with an electric circuit closing element, an electrically operated controller device, a plurality of electric circuits each of which may be connected to the controller device, a detector tor each circuit, each or' the de` tectors being effective to establish contact With the element in the active shuttle when said element is uncovered, and means moving in timed relation With the shuttle boxes and dependent tor its position uponvvhich shuttle box is in active position, said means when moved in timed relation With the shuttle boxes disconnecting all the said detectors from the controller device except one.

5. In a loom having a plurality of shitting shuttle boxes and shuttles each of which may become active, a member movable in timed relation With the activ-e shuttle box and dependent for its position upon which box is in active position, a plurality of spaced contacts carried by said member, a plurality of detectors, means to initiate a change in the loom, each detector being elecy trically connected to one o'l th-e contacts carried by said member and also to said means to initiate a change in the loom, said member disconnecting all but one of said detectors trom the means to initiate a change in the loom as said member moves in timed relation With the shuttle box.

6. ln a loom having shitting shuttle boxes and a plurality of shuttles for the boxes carrying yarns of different characteristics,

a detector for each character of yarn, the number of detectors being .dependent upon the number ot differentcharactersvot yarn and the number of detectors being independent ot th-e number of shuttles or shuttle boxes, and means acting in timed relation with the shuttle boxes to render operative the detector corresponding to the active i shuttle.

7. In a loom having shifting shuttle boxes and a plurality ot' shuttles carrying yarns of diiterent characteristics, a detector for each character of yarn, the number of detectors being depen-dent upon the number of difterent characters of yarn but independent ot the number ot' shuttles and shuttle boxes, means acting in timed relation with the shuttle boxes to render operative the detector corresponding to the act-ive shuttle and to render inoperative the detectors correspending to the inactive shuttles.

8. In a loom having shitting shuttle boxes and a plurality of shuttles carrying yarns of diiterent characteristics, a detector tor each character of yarn, the number of detectors dependent upon the number of different characters oit yarn and being independent of the number of shuttle boxes and shuttles, and means acting in timed relation With the shuttle boxes to render operative the detector corresponding to the yarn being laid by the active shuttle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atxed my signature.

WALTER H. l/VAKEFIELD. 

